The Portland daily press., 1887-03-04
XLIXth CONGRESS-. SECOND SESSION.
SENATE.

A message from the House, announcing
nOn-concurrence in the Senate amendments
70 the naval appropriation bill was presented
ana q conference ordered.
AT few minutes before IL o'clock, the
Senate closed the legislative day of Wednes-
oay Dy adjournment, and at IL o'clock open
ed the last legislative day of the 49th Con-
gress. They then proceeded to the consider
aIlon OF the legislative, executive and judi
clal appropriation bill, voting on the amend
preparations as they were reached.
AS the commltte on appropriations had re-
ported very few amendments to the bill, and
those OF but little Importance, there was no
delay, beyond that made. necessary by the
complete recording of the bill which was
done very rapidly and at 1.30 o'clock the end
was reached. Then there were some Dropo-
Sltl0nS to increase salaries, but none of them
were successful. AT 2.30 O'Clock the bill
which had been cOnstructively in the COM
mlttee OF the whole was reported to the SEN
ate and passed. Mr.. Allison then submitted
the conference on the sundry civil bill and
SAID In order to come to an agreement they
had to postpone several appropriations
which the Senate deemed necessary, for in
stance they had to consent TO reduction to
half of the provision to complete the Inter-
national survey of the Mexican border and
the same as to the survey between British
Columbia and Alaska. The second confer
ence on the postoffice appropriation bill has,
like the first, resulted in disagreement on
the subsidy amendment.
Chairman Curtin, of the select committee
created by the House of Representatives to
inquire into the cause and extent of the
western railroad strikes, submitted the re-
port of the committee. After reviewing the
losses sustained by the railroad companies,
the strikers, and the community at large,
which aggregated many millions OF dollars,
the report says: With regard to the general
question of the right of workmen to COM
bine for determining with their employers
the terms on which they only will consent
to work for them provided the combination
be perfectly voluntary and free liberty be
left for all other wOrkmen to undertake
work, and no obstruction be placed in the
way OF the employer resorting elsewhere in
this country in search of a supply of labor,
we think there is no ground in justice or
sound policy for withholding such right
from workmen. 1t cannot be doubted that
the demand, backed by the resolution of a
large body OF Workmen to decline work,
II the demand be not acceded to, comes with
more force than that of isolated workmen.
Workmen may reasonably claim to be allow
ed any advantage which they can derive
from such concerted action in bargaining
with their employer from time to time as to
terms on which they will dispose their labor.
But upon the same principle and for precise
ly similar reason, whilst cOnceding to such
workmen as desire to exercise it is extended
the right to combine against their employers,
especial care should be taken that equal
right.be secured to those workmen who desire
to keep aloof from combinations and dispose
of their labor with perfect individual free
dom.
Senator Hoar criticized the custom which
the House had fallen into of holding back
the appropriation bills until the last few
days Of the session. This sort of legislation
compels the Senate and House to submit un-
der penalty OF an extra session TO the die
tates OF three or four men. Mr.. HOar also
criticized the action of the Speaker of the
House for refusing TO recognize members of
that body who had wished tomove measure
for tariff revision, because he (the Speaker
of the measure. He contrasted
such actien with the methods Of Blaine
when he was speaker. For this Mr.. Hoar
was taken to task by Messrs. Salisbury,
Beck, Harris.and other Democratic Senators,
who claimed he was out of order in arraign-
ing the House or any of its members on the
floor of the Senate
Mr. Salisbury interrupted Mr.. Hoar with
a point of order, saying: Il submit to the
chair whether speech in the Senate, ar
raigning the House of Representatives, or
the speaker, or any member of the House, is
and whether it is in har-
mony with the courtesy which ought to be
between the two houses of Congress-"
Mr.. Hoar claimed that he had a right to
speak of public assertion Of policy stated
in the public press.
The presiding officer (Mr. Ingalls) decided
that the language of the Senator from Mas
had been strictly within the rules
prescribed by this body.
Mr.. Hoar continued: Mr.. Blaine, under
whom many of us served in another place, Is
understood to have pretty strong
will, and pretty strong dersire to have ac-
in the administration of the
country the things which he thinks ought to
be done. / served in the House of Repre-
sentatives with that accomplished gentleman
eight years, for six of which he was the
speaker, and a humble Democrat. when we
had majority of three-fourths or four-ffths
in that body, was permitted to make his mo-
ton to suspend the rules every Monday and
every day withing the last six days of ad-
j0urnment. Who ever heard of Mr.. Blaine,
II member desired to be recognized to move
the adoption Of measure that would pass
or near, unanimously, II pro-
posed, informing the member that the pre-
siding officer had determined that ii was not
expedlent to have any measure OF that kind
during that session Of Congress?
Mr.. President, this is question which goes
clear down to the fundamental rock ON
which our constitutional structure is erected.
would rather have the Emperor Of Russia,
Or King Bemba to rule over me than to have,
under pretence of constitutional form,
the right denied to Representatives to utter
the will of the American people when con-
jority in each branch. Now it has seemed
best to the majority of the Senate to submit
having law which, passed by the Senate
almost unanimously and which was never
submitted to the other House at all, eviscer-
ated and emasculated by the process which
has been here described.
Mr.. Beck-I was called out of the Chamber
for while and was only in time to hear
what seems to be most remarkable TRADE
against the Speaker of the House Of Repre-
sentatives. That gentleman needs no de-
fence at my hands, and had supposed that
in the Senate of the United States, under
the rules and proprieties, that comment
upon the action of the Speaker would not be
lndulger in. / have only this to say that
there is no man in Massachusetts or outside
Of Massachusetts who will attack either the
integrity, honesty or ability of the Speaker
Of the present House of Representatives
with impunity, in his presence. 1t would be
more manly for some gentlemen in that
House to rise there and say whatever he
thought proper to say in regard to his action
as Speaker than for member of this House,
who, where he cannot be heard and where
he has no right to speak, to attack him.
There are 150 partisans Of the Senator from
Massachusetts on the floor of the House of
all of whom have right to
make whatever attack they please, and If
they do they will receive response befitting
the attack.
Mr.. Hoar-I ask the Senator from Ken
lucky whether he denies single assertion of
the fact that | have made, whether he does
not agree with me in my opinion of this
matter, and whether he does not think that
it is an invasion of the constitutional power
Of the Senate and House?
Mr. Beck-l have no right to know on this
floor whether the statements made by the
Senator from Massachusetts are true or not
If they are true, and if they are invasions of
rights, they are invasions of the rights of the
House of Representatives, and there are
there who are able to take
care of themselves. The Speaker of the
House is also able to take care of himself
against me and all who see fit to attack him.
Mr.. Blaine's name has been brought up and
contrasted with the present Speaker. There
never has been in that chair man of more
integrity, man of greater fair
ness, or Of more ability than the present
Speaker Of that House, and think it is not
fair
Mr.. Harris-Nor becoming.
MI. Beck-lt is not fair, say, to attack
him behind his back, when no man dares to
attack him before his face. l ask the Sem
ator from Massachusetts to 60 over to the
House and get some Of the able Republicans
on that floor to make this charge, and | will
guarantee that the speaker will come down
from the chair, and refute all the ISLANDERS
which they dare heap on him.
Mr.. Harris-I ask the Senator from Mas
sachusetts, parliamentarian as he is, If he
IS prepared to assert that he, as amember of
this house, has right to criticize on the